At the Mansionhouse, on Wednesday, information was given to the
Lord Mayor, that there was every probability of the arrest in New York of Lewis Augustus Bennet, and his brother Peter Bennet, the merchants, formerly of excellent credit, who contrived about two or three months ago to plunder several London and Paris houses to the amount of at least 60,0001., by forging bills of exchange and indorse- ments. The vessel in which the I3ennets sailed had not reached New York before another, which followed it with directions for their arrest, ; and a gentleman who is well acquainted with their persons is on the look-out for their arrival.
At Bow Street, on Tuesday, Captain Clement Hill, of the Horse Guards, and nephew of Lord Hill, was accused of assaulting a cab- driver and a policeman. Giles, the cabman, thus stated his complaint against the gallant Captain— On the previous night, about twelve o'clock, he was driving slowly akin..n in his cab, up King William Street, towards St. Martin's Lane, when the de- fendant and six other gentlemen, who were walking together, overtook him. The Harmer, as soon as he came up with him, said, " Who are you ? " and immediately afterwards continued, "and who's your mother?" Ile replied, that it was nothing to him or any one else who his mother was, and told lain to go about his business. The Captain upon this gave him two severe cuts over the back of the head with his cane ; and, not content with this, began to poke the horse with the cane, and caused it to kick so violently that it broke the splash-board to pieces. A policeman then came up, and the defendant was taken into custody.
Henry Bird, a painter, and Tilsley, a policeman, confirmed the cab- driver's testimony ; and the policeman said that Captain Hill was drunk, and swore by God that no policeman should touch him; after which he used beastly language, and struck him on the head and face.
Captain Hill admitted the two assaults ; but said that the cabman had driven his vehicle against him, and used impudent language to him. He also complained that he had been pitched into a cell at the Station- house " neck and crop," like a common felon. The Magistrate said that gentlemen offending against the law must be treated like other people, and he should fine him 101. for the assaults. The Captain declared it was damned extortion, and that he could "smash " the evidence of the cabman, if he thought it worth while to call upon his companions to come forward, but they were on duty at .Hounslow ; and then he pail the fine by a cheque on Greenwood and Cox, declaring that he did not / care a sous for the cash, but it was such a damned piece of extortion. He was proceeding in this strain, when the Magistrates desired him to leave the office, which he did in high dudgeon.
On Wednesday, a Policeman was charged by Mr. George Milne of the Customhouse, with assaulting him in Covent Garden Theatre, on Tuesday evening. From the evidence it appeared, that Mr. Milne was peculiarly energetic in his damnation of the farce Mutual Expense. The Box-keeper ordered the Policeman to take Mr. Milne out of the dress circle, where he was sitting; but Milne's friends interfered, a scuffle ensued, and Milne was rescued ; but left the Theatre, threaten- ing proceedings against the Policeman. Mr. Harris, Mr. Osbaldis- ton's Secretary, maintained that Mr. Milne exceeded the usual and proper bounds in expressing disapprobation of the performances; that he was absolutely riotous, and that the audience in the pit demanded that he should be turned out. He was not disposed to screen the Policeman ; and Mr. Osbaldiston had promised that if the box- keeper were in fault, he should be dismissed. The Magistrate said,
that any one of the audience had a right to express his disapprobation strongly—it was the privilege always allowed to persons in a theatre ; and he considered that the Policeman and Box-keeper had been to blame ; but he advised Mr. Milne to be satisfied with an apology. This was agreed to, and the parties left the office.
At the Marylebone Office, on Monday, a cabinet-maker, with his wife and daughter, were charged by a policeman with making a dig- turbance in the streets. They had been locked up in the Station-house during the whole of the preceding night. On examining into the cir- cumstances, it appeared that the policeman had a grudge against the male prisoner, in consequence of his having prevented the policeman from marrying some young woman, who deserved a better husband ; and that the accused had not been guilty of any breach of the peace. They were consequently discharged, and the Magistrate ( Mr. Rawlin. son) advised them to proceed against the policeman ; but it does not appear that he took any measures himself to have the fellow dismissed from the Police.
Mr. Frederick Mitchell, of Portland Place, Mr. James Walls, and Mr. Thomas Lateward, of Kensington, were bound over to keep the peace, the first on Tuesday, the two latter on Wednesday, by the Ken. sington Magistrates. Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Latewood having chal- lis tged Mr. Walls to fight duels with each of them. Mr. Walls had selected small swords, instead of pistols, as the weapons,-.-in conse- quence, as he said, of his being a capital shot ; not, as has been re- ported, because he was an adroit swordsman. He wished to give his antagonists a fairer chance of " winging " him than if they fought With pistols. The origin of this quarrel is not stated ; but according to the penny-a-line gentlemen, it " has created a great sensation in Kensing. ton and Hammersmith, in consequence of the names of several young ladies of large fortune and great beauty resident there being mixed up with the transaction."
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